Red-backed Shrike

Description:

The red-backed shrike is a carnivorous passerine bird, member of the shrike family Laniidae, and nicknamed "Butcher bird" for its habit of hanging its prey on thorns, and collecting it later on. It possesses a typical shrike appearance, with grey head and black 'Zorro' mask across the eyes; and that easily identifiable twice-hooked shrike bill.

Habitat:

This shrike is a migratory bird, and its breeding range is all of Europe, and some of Asia, while it winters in tropical Eastern Africa. This summer, I observed it in several occasions (almost regularly during our stay), on trees in or around our garden. This is a hot Mediterranean climate, the garden itself is constructed on terraces in urban area; and there are more similar gardens around us. Our one is rather dry, because we do not water it in summer, and most of vegetation rely on rains only. Mediterranean vegetation, both cultivated and wild.